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Avery Bradley of Boston Celtics doesn't plan to watch the NBA playoffs unless Kendrick Perkins or another friend is playing

AVERY_BRADLEY_HEAT.jpg

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) makes a move with the ball against Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers (15) and center Chris Bosh, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston Wednesday, March 19, 2014. Bradley led the Celtics with 23 points as they beat the Heat 101-96.
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

SB Nation's James Herbert published a nice interview with Avery Bradley, which touched on a number of subjects. A few of the most interesting ones follow below, but you should really read the entire interview. It's a good one.

This shouldn't come as a surprise. The Celtics remaining from last year's team have mentioned several times that they still bring up KG stories in the locker room; he's gone, but not forgotten. Bradley said Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo also helped to shape his attitude toward basketball. The shooting guard said that without his teammates' veteran influences, he would "definitely" be a different player.

"Because I learned how to play basketball the right way," Bradley said. "Not to say other people don't, but being on a team like that, I learned how once you cross those lines, it's all business. And that's one thing I can say, all those older guys that I played with, that was their approach to practice, to the game. Once they cross this line, it's game time. That's how Rondo is. They kind of kept that culture here and that helped me become a man off the court and on the court because they're professionals on and off the court, so I feel like I'm passing that along to everybody else even though I'm a young guy. We know how to do things the right way."

Brad Stevens deserves credit for keeping the Boston locker room together this season, but I think the mix of personalities also helps. The Celtics don't have the best talent, obviously, and not all the pieces fit together. But Kris Humphries and Brandon Bass seem to be as professional as athletes come. Gerald Wallace is likable (I promise) and always plays his tail off. Bradley and Jared Sullinger are young, but they entered the NBA with the right attitudes and spent some time being groomed by Hall of Famers. Rondo might not have the best reputation, but everyone agrees he's as ruthless a competitor as the NBA has, and he's bought in to the rebuilding. The Celtics roster is filled with players who have the proper mentality (if not all the desired skills) to succeed. During a long season, that's helped.

Even so, nobody's like Garnett.

"I've never seen anyone like him," Bradley said. "For a whole year, how he prepares for the game, every single game the same way, without a smile. It shows how he takes the game seriously. I really respect him a lot."

... unless former teammate Kendrick Perkins is on TV. Bradley will watch then. And he'll watch the Brooklyn Nets, who feature both Pierce and Garnett.

But any game that doesn't feature his friends?

"I can't watch it," Bradley said. "I know even in the past, we've been in the playoffs every year since I've been in the NBA, but after we lose I'm pretty sure nobody on our team watches the playoffs. Maybe OKC because Kendrick (Perkins) plays for them, but besides that, I'm sure nobody watches anybody."

I've always assumed that Rondo will miss the postseason more than anyone else. The playoffs always served as his showcase, his time to conjure triple-doubles, his stage to act surly and dominant and flawed and brilliant all at once.

My assumption seems to be correct.

"It's disappointing that we're not making it ‘cause playoffs is -- me and Rondo always joke and say we wish we just played a few games and then it was playoffs," Bradley said. "Because playoffs is the best feeling in the world, the best atmosphere, it's just amazing."

3. Bradley sounds really excited for Stevens' offseason input

In December, Stevens first mentioned that he was already thinking about offseason plans for each of his players. Especially now, during a rebuilding year, improvement is important in Boston. It's the priority, even.

According to Bradley, Doc Rivers also provided guidance for the Celtics before they left for the summer. But Bradley thinks Stevens' will be more in-depth.

"I can't wait till the exit meeting to see what the coach has written for me, and things that he can see that can help me improve my game," the guard said. "Obviously going into the summer, I feel like I'm going to work on everything. But for him to have some notes or something, I think that'll be cool for me because Doc always told me things I needed, but I feel like he'll break it down even more. I'm excited to see what he has to say about me.

While Stevens breaks down everything and Bradley spends the summer looking to improve, elsewhere in the organization...

I would go on, but that GIF (courtesy of Reddit user chanandlerer) has me hypnotized. If you're stronger than I am and can actually peel your eyes away from Plotting Danny Ainge, go check out Herbert's full interview with Bradley. It won't disappoint you.